Improvement in machines for washing printers  rollers



T. MUlR.

Machine for Washing Printers Rollers.

No.163. (m 11.1375.

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V WITNESSES: 4 I 44/ WW Q Z THE GRAPH IC CO.PH OTO -LITH 39 & 41 PARKPLACE, N-Y

UNITED STATES PATENT DFFIOE.

THOMAS MUIR, OF GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FQR WASHING PRINTERS ROLLERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 163,097, dated May 11,1875; application filed March 6, 1875.

verse section, of my improved machine for washing printers rollers, onthe line cc of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention relates to an improved machine for cleaning, in a rapid andreliable manner, printers rollers from all adhering ink and otherimpurities; and it consists of a cylinder that rotates in a trough, withlye or other washing material, transferring the same by its rotary andsimultaneous laterallyvibrating motion to the rollers hung to quadrantal arms that are fixed to a shaft, and thus may be swung onto or offthe cleaningcylinder, as required. Fixed to the shaft from below is alateral plate, whose outer edge assumes a downwardly-inclined positionon raising the arms from the cylinder, and whose inner edge comes incontact with the same. The arms are held to the cylinder by a notchedlever secured to their shaft and resting on a cross-bar of theframe-work of the machine, and these are kept in an upright position bya hook that drops into a notch in the lever. Perforated waterpipes arean ranged vertically above the rollers to throw a spray of water onthem, the dripwater being prevented by the inclined plate from runninginto the lye-trough.

In the drawing, A represents a cylinder of suitable material and size,that is covered, by preference, with coarsely grained canvas, flannel,or other suitable material. The cylinder is revolved by suitable powerapplied to its shaft,lateral reciprocating motion being simultaneouslyimparted by a wave-wheel, a, keyed to its shaft, in connection with astationary guide-pin, b, on the supporting-frame A, or by equivalentmechanism, so that the covering material of the cylinder exercises acompound rubbing action on the rollers exposed thereon for beingcleaned. The cylinder A revolves in a correspondingly-shaped bottomtrough, B, partly filled with lye or other suitable washing material,and transfers the same continually to the rollers c, which are exposedto the friction therewith by being hung by their shafts into the notchedquadrantal arms D, the shaft S .of which rests in hearings in the sideframe A. These rollers are held in proper contact with the cylinder by alever, D, secured to the shaft 1 S of the quadrantal arms. and supportedon a central cross-bar of frames, A. The leverD may be adjusted by aset-screw, d, to different inclination for throwing the arms intogreater or lesser distance from the cylinder, when rollers of larger orsmaller diameter have to be washed. There is a set of quadrantal arms ateach side of the cylinder A, and they are fixed to their shafts s bymeans of setscrews t, so that the arms can be set at the requisitedistance apart to suit the different lengths of rollers to be washed. Alateral plate, E, is attached to the shaft S, in such a manner that whenthe arms are in position to expose the rollers to the cleaning action ofthe cylinder the plate is thrown outward, and its inner edge inclineddownward so as to conduct the lye-d'rippings into the trough again.After the rollers are completely cleaned by the action of the lye fromthe adhering impurities, the arms D are, with the rollers O, thrown in araised position, and. secured therein by a pointed-top hook, e, lookinginto a notch, e, at the end of lever D. The outer edge of the lateralguard-plate E is' carried thereby into a downwardly-inclined position,and brought with its inner and upper edge in contact with the cylinderA. A spray of water is then thrown on the rollers from a system oflateral pipes, G, arranged at the top of supporting-frame A, and whichare perforated at the under side for washing off the lye and remainingdirt, the drip-water dropping on the lateral plate E, from which it isconducted on the inclined outer plate F, and thence drawn off insuitable manner. The contact of plate E with the cylinder prevents anyof the drip-water from running into the lye-trough during thewashingprocess, so that the lye retains the required degree of strength. Therollers are thenremoved for drying, and the next set placed thereon forcleaning, the Whole operation being accomplished in a quick, neat, andperfect manner, dispensing with the disagreeable and insufficient methodat present in use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A machine for washing printers rollers, composed ofa revolving and laterally-vibrating cylinder, A, a lye-trough, B,pivoted quadrantal roller-bearing standards, and a system of perforated"spray water-pipes, the whole being arranged and operated substantiallyin the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The pivoted rol'lerearrying standards,

THOMAS MUIR. Witnesses ALEX. RUssELL, WILLIAM AUSTIN.

